Thread LXXIII:

Then how about a religion? Just because it's a small religion doesn't make them a cult.
Cults hate (or, at the very least dislike) outsiders and are rather paranoid in general. They also have a habit of having a leader that is only using them.

"I suppose it is a welcome change of pace from thinking I'd consume them. Just so long as it doesn't become a cult or anything." You say, worriedly causing Tai to laugh.

"I don't think its respect in that way. More like a liege that actually gives two shits about them. More than a few are developing the opinion that the Phoenix stance of the vile snakes that consume all was to hide a good employer. Besides, I think Zhou's got a more grounded view on this and I don't think he's the sort to fall for that nonsense." He says, tilting his head towards the beastfolk leader, who is organizing the queue to get food. Noticing you looking the dour fox-man nods towards you maintaining eye contact until you look away.

"No, no he really doesn't." You say, "I'm not too sure he likes me either."

Tai shrugs. "He respects you, but he's he wary. If anything my father said about the beastfolk is true they've been in a bad way for generations, if anything he probably figures you too good to be true."

"Wait, if he's suspicious, how am I doing everything right?"

"Because you've been treating them like people. Subordinates, but people all the same. Pulling them out of that cave probably did wonders."

There's a moment of silence as you both continue working on resupplying the cooking pot before you're reminded.

"How's the whole language issue working out, anyway?"

He grimaces. "I'm fairly certain they are better at languages than I am, and I'm no aspiring polyglot like Miss Marie is. It is going, slowly, but going all the same."

>You mentioned your father, what'd he say on them?
>Well, so long as you have it in hand, I'm gonna head in.
>Other?

>what'd dad say?

"You mentioned your father, what'd he say on them?"

Tai hesitates, "Not too much, only that most nobles of the empire would use the tribes as fodder in conflicts. Levies, first wave. They did not think too much of them."

"But he did?"

"I cannot say. He claimed dealt with them fairly. One of the reasons we had to leave I think."

"I take it that's why they've been calling you son of sun or whatever it was?" You say.

Tai looks up, "I believe so Miss Sasha, Zhou or one of his kin may have worked with my father."

"You don't sound pleased with that." You say, speculatively.

He stiffens. "I am not. I do have too much of a memory of my father beyond the events on the boat nor do I wish to know. He was either a traitor to the phoenix empire, which makes me a target to current invaders, or he was a great man in their society, which makes me suspect here. The less I know the better. I would rather be judged on my character than on my family."

You pause at the outburst. "My apologies, I didn't mean to dredge up unpleasant memories."

"No it is fine." He says, sighing, "My aunt never liked to speak much of him, and I was not to tell the neighbors either. I suppose for the same reason. I'm a farmhand from the northwest coast. Nothing important, and I would much rather stay that way."

>?

Even if you say that you're not that important, you're easily one of the most important people on this ranch. You /are/ the cook, after all.

"But that's not true." You say, causing him to sigh again, "You're easily one of the most important people on the ranch."

"Miss Sasha, please don't start with any 'happy families' spiel. I've no patience for them."

"Who said anything about that, I just mean you got promoted to one of the most important roles in keeping morale, health, and productivity going."

"And that is?"

"You're the cook." Keeping your face deadpan.

"I'm the cook." He says, slowly.

Leaving him groaning into his soup, you skitter over the cold back into the warmth of the house.

The next day you open up the portal to the cavern at the alloted time, and keel and a small contingent of his men follow you through. Briefing him on the situation here, he offers to beef up the security in the workers camp until you're sure the faux McCain is gone. The next few days are spent filling in for Marie and McCain as they retrieve the carriage, Veles making himself at home all the while. You're relieved to see Traveller and Greenbriar towing your hands and the carriage back into the compound and you keep McCain up to date on the total lack of developments since he's been gone over a late breakfast.

Veles, always present when food is around clears his throat and announces his intention to return to his lair to which keel offers to give him an escort on the new road, which he accepts before turning to you. "Did you wish to come with, Sasha. Would only be far to return your hospitality after all."

>Talk with McCain
>Go with Veles
>Talk with Keel
>other?

>Talk to Keel
In a bit, perhaps, but first: Captain Keel, have there been any developments since we took the phoenixes cave?

"Anything new happen in the cave?"

Keel shakes his head, "We brought in some more of the schola with the ship once Veles opened the barrier. They seem to agree that the phoenix have abandoned the place."

"Are you sure?"

"We had them sweep for links, traps, return gateways, nothing. We the had them sweep for anything magical in the slightest and it still came up empty."

"That's strange, there should be some latent energy in the ground." Veles says, puzzled.

"That's what the magi in the schola said too, and the latent energy is slowly returning from a nearby ley line, but everything in it as of right now is devoid of it. As if it were drained."

>Strange, any idea what caused it?
>I wonder, who owns the land the cavern is in, anyway?
>We should probably head to Veles' its been a while.
>other?

>Does anyone own the land, if so, who?

"Does anyone own the land, if so, who?"

"Thinking they might have had a part in it?" Keel says, "Figured that myself. Checked the deed registries we had, recently bought as part a large land deal by an individual named Karath."

You start at the name. It'd been some time since you'd heard of Serrak's former business partner, the land baron who'd tried to milk the deal when you'd gone to see what he was offering. "Interesting. Orc fellow? Heavyset?"

"No clue" Keel says. "You know him?"

"Tried to buy out the ranch some months back. Serrak suggested he was behind that first attack on the ranch."

"Curioser and curiouser" Keel says, "I believe the nitor will have to have a word with him about phoenix affiliations."

"I doubt he's tied up in state espionage and subterfuge." Veles says

"Oh, why do you say that?"

"Because he's an idiot." The old snake says simply. "Blustering with a load of false confidence."

"First attack wasn't phoenix, it was the faker and his boys. Phoenix ties are there, I'll wager." McCain says

"All the same I'll have more than a few questions for him." Keel says before turning to Veles, "I've got a few thing to take care of, there'll be a small detachment waiting for you to head back to your home."

"Much appreciated." Veles responds, though you get the feeling he's not too keen needing a guard.

>Head out with Veles into the cold to his place.
>Stay home, work with McCain and the rest of the ranch.

>head out with Veles
We haven't done much to practice with anything but Pyromancy lately. We should take some time to practice with our illusion magics and such.

>Head out with Veles into the cold to his place.
Get some practice with other magic.

You leave Veles to rejigger a new portal point behind the house as you hurry and grab your warmest clothes. Properly attired you head out into the waiting guard of four nitor soldiers. Veles doesn't talk much as you follow the snowy half built road that will become your future trade route to the casimiran lands, giving noncomittal answers to the small talk on the weather. You'd don't blame him, it's bitterly cold, and even with your layers you can still feel the chill seep in. In the back, you can see Dahz trapsing through the snow at a distance, shadowing the party.

Arriving at the tunnel entrance, you wave the soldiers goodbye as Veles trips the counterweight, opening the passage beneath the moutain. Hurrying inside, you instantly feel the warmth of the geothermal steam vents renewing life into your body. Shedding your outerware you follow the old snake through the winding tunnels up to his lair.

"You were awful quiet." You say conversationally.

"Those soldiers would likely report to their superiors anything we did or said." He says simply

"Keel's a good sort, though." You respond, puzzled.

"One of them had the same rank mark. Captain I believe. This means that your Keel is not his superior."

"Still, the nitor seems trustworthy."

He shrugs, "Just as well."

Leaving him to check on his lair, you head up to the rookery and check on Daisy, who's sitting on a perch in the rookery. Behind you, you hear Dahz padding upstairs, walking up behind you before jumping over your coils. You watch as the wolfdog lays down in front of the portal room, facing it as if wary for intruders.

A short while later you see Veles lumber his way up. Squeezing out of the way, you let the old snake past as he enters the circular room. Walking up to the old gateway was, you see him place his blade on the center of the burnt out rune. A faint glow of magic and the stone reforms, leaving a flat smooth surface where the rune once was. Producing another tool, he begins to carve the same insignia back into the wall. After some time, and seemingly to his own satisfaction, he focuses on it, and the familiar site of the back of your house appears through the gateway.

>Talk with him about gateways
>Talk with him about magic

> gateways

>Talk with him about gateways

"Everything okay with the gateways?"

"This new one seems to be fine and untainted. I remade the rune to be safe." He says.

"And the old one?"

"Still links to the cavern."

"You didn't kill the connection?"

"No. When you asked who owned the land, I figured you had something in mind for that."

"Oh, like what?"

He gestures at his surroundings. "A large stone cavern can have its uses."

"Point taken. Any suggestions on what I would do with something like that, if I were even able to wrest it from Karath's mitts?"

"A home away from home? Something for your business perhaps? Maybe searching for those phoenix?"

"You think there's still something there to lead us to them?"

"No, but I do think I know what they are after."

You pause at that, "What do you think it is?"

"Do you remember the letter? The one that you had translated?"

"The one about the Leviathan and the Troll?"

He nods, "They had an interest in the locations of Tanak and Casimir. I think, but I am not certain, and I hope it is not the case, but from that device that consumed their own, and the absence of magic in the cavern, I think they want to steal the power of one of the great beasts."

>Pausing here for the night. Labor day tomorrow in the states, but not all folks get the luxury of a late night. Might try and continue in the morning, maybe not. Definitely gonna try for next weekend. As always, thanks for bearing with me through this off an on run, and I hope you enjoyed the thread so far.

Fun, as always. Thanks for running Chem!
I wish that everyone stayed all the way through, but it can't be helped, I suppose.

Good night and thanks for running.

Thanks, chemlab